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• High-street retailer Argos Distributors has boosted capacity from 60 to 70 roll-cages a trip by switching from fixed to lifting second decks on 20 Cartwright-built double-deck trailers that are now entering service.
The 1,000-strong Argos trailer fleet already includes more than 70 straight and step-frame fixed double-deck trailers with capacities ranging from 52 to 60 roll-cages.
Argos's minimum load height requirement of 1.78m per deck meant the height of the straight-frame trailers had to be increased to 4.85m with a 50mm-thick aluminium lifting floor. Argos has to pay more attention to even load distribution on the eight-tonne second deck than on its fixed deck trailers, but the full length of the trailer can be used, increasing capacity to 35 roll-cages on each deck.
"The external height is not a problem because the trailers are just trunking up and down motorways," says fleet services manager Roy McCrudden. "On the Scottish route we trunk 900 roll-cages a day. With singledeck trailers that requires 20 to 30 tractive units. That's halved with double-decks. We save fuel and tyre costs and help the environment too."
The double-deckers are hauled by low-height Scania P94 tractors with air-operated dual-height VBG R44DH fifthwheel couplings.